After a series of health and sanitation inspections that found bugs in liquor bottles and dirty taps, the Charleston City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the City Code of Ordinances regarding alcohol license regulations during its meeting Tuesday night.

This amendment will grant the city the authority to penalize alcohol licensees who violate health and sanitation codes.

Licensees who have been charged with a citation can contest their case before a court hearing.

However, if the licensee is found guilty, they will be faced with court-ordered penalties such as license suspension.

Charleston Mayor and Local Liquor Commissioner Brandon Combs said these inspections have been completed by the Charleston Police Department as of two years ago, when officers received training from the state health department.

City Attorney Rachael Cunningham said licensees who violate state health and sanitation codes usually receive citations or penalties directly from the state, but the new amendment will allow the city to regulate the codes.

“It’s basically for safety purposes,” Combs said. “We want to keep things clean and safe.”

The city council also approved the bid award for milling and resurfacing of various streets in Charleston.

The acquisition of Warren Titus’s real estate property on 120 N. 12th Street was also approved by the council.

Combs said Titus currently resides in Florida and had planned to rehabilitate the property on his own.

His renovation efforts were not successful and agreed to hand over the property to the city at no cost.

Complaints about the conditions of the property from people within the neighborhood prompted the city to make a motion to purchase the property.

The city does not have any set plans for the property, other than to renovate it.

Angelica Cataldo can be reached at 581-2812 or amcatalado@eiu.edu.